Media-tight connection between the connector casing and the shielding sleeve

Abstract

The connector (1, 2) is preferably configured to be protected. The connector (1, 2) includes a connection side for connecting electrical lines and a plug-in side for forming a plug-in connection. Otherwise, the connector is primarily cylindrical and radially closed. The casing (1.3) is at least partially fixedly arranged around the shielding sleeve (1.2), so that the casing (1.3) cannot move relative to the shielding sleeve (1.2) in either the radial or longitudinal direction. The locking screw (1.1, 2.1) is at least partially rotatably arranged around the shielding sleeve (1.2). The casing (1.3) and the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2) at least partially overlap, and a seal is provided in the overlapping area, the seal being elastically configured and compressed in the direction of the connecting side by the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a connector which is made up of at least two parts and which is designed to be media-tight, meaning in the following that dirt or moisture cannot penetrate between the two parts of the connector.

[0002] For this purpose, the connector according to the invention can have a shielding sleeve and a casing. The connector is preferably designed as a line connector, i.e. for connection to an electrical line.

[0003] The injection-molded coating of protected line connectors for outdoor use inevitably leads to the problem of ensuring media tightness over the entire life span, in particular between the casing and the shielding sleeve: the casing is often made of plastic, whereas the shielding sleeve is made of metal.

[0004] The poor chemical affinity between plastics and metals greatly hampers the bonding of such paired materials. Moreover, plastics and metals have significantly different expansion coefficients, which is also a particular disadvantage when considering the large temperature ranges encountered outdoors.

[0005] For this reason, gaps form very easily in such mating pairs, which, as capillaries, themselves allow the ingress of media (water, coolants, oils, etc.) into the functionally important inner connector regions.

[0006] Media tightness in plastic-metal pairs is currently usually achieved by additional processes, materials or other expenditures, which, either alone or in combination with one another, entail correspondingly higher costs: Adhesion promoter or hot melt between bonded pairs Plasma treatment of bonded pairs Special method parameters Special additives in plastics Special coating on metal parts, etc.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve the required media tightness in a protected line connector directly, i.e. as far as possible without additional components, processes or further expenditures.

[0008] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0009] For this purpose, a connector is proposed which has a casing, a locking screw and a shielding sleeve, the shielding sleeve forming an inner part of the connector, the casing being arranged at least partially around the shielding sleeve in the assembled state.

[0010] It is preferably proposed that the housing is formed as an injection-molded jacket which is injection-molded so as to be fixed to the shielding sleeve, but it is of course also possible for the housing to be formed as an independent component.

[0011] The connector further has a connection side and a plug-in side, at which electrical lines are supplied to the connector, and a plug-in side, which is provided for forming a plug-in connection with a suitable counter connector and is arranged on the side opposite the connection side.

[0012] On the plug-in side, the connector has coupling means that can be operatively coupled to the plug-in side of a suitable counter connector. For this purpose, the connector may have pins or sockets, in which case the suitable counter connector also has pins or sockets, in which case the counter connector has the opposite plug-in means.

[0013] The casing is arranged around the shielding sleeve so that it is non-rotatably and therefore fixedly attached to the shielding sleeve, which can be achieved by simply injection-molding the casing onto the shielding sleeve so as to cover it, or by means of at least one flattened section on the shielding sleeve, into which the casing can engage.

[0014] A locking screw is also disposed at least partially around the shielding sleeve, the locking screw being pivotally supported relative to the shielding sleeve, and the locking screw complements the casing of the connector such that the locking screw and the casing together ensure a consistent contour of the connector.

[0015] In order to better manipulate the locking screw, it can be provided with a knurling which ensures increased gripping. Furthermore, the locking screw has a fastening means which can be configured, for example, as a screw thread.

[0016] The attachment means of the locking screw can be used to lock the connector in a suitable counter connector, which also has corresponding attachment means for this purpose, in the case of a thread, a corresponding counter thread. Thus, for example, the connector can be provided with a locking screw with an external thread and the counter connector with a locking nut with an internal thread. When the connector and the counter connector are mated, the two threads can be engaged with each other by rotating the locking screw and / or the locking nut, thereby locking the connector.

[0017] According to the invention, the casing and the locking screw are now designed so that they at least partially overlap one another. Thus, for example, the casing can be designed so that the locking screw is at least partially slipped onto the casing. The running surface of the locking screw is thus located partly in the area of ​​the casing and partly in the area of ​​the shield sleeve.

[0018] To create the desired media tightness, a seal is now provided in the overlap area of ​​the locking screw and the casing, which makes it possible to protect the connector against the ingress of dirt and moisture.

[0019] According to the invention, for this purpose the seal is designed to be elastic and is compressed during installation by slipping the locking screw onto the housing in the direction of the connection side.

[0020] For this purpose, for example, a conically extending annular spring can be used, which is slipped onto the casing in a corresponding groove, and the locking screw is locked to the casing via the annular spring during assembly. Alternatively, the annular spring can also be arranged on the shield sleeve. For this purpose, the locking screw likewise has a groove into which the conically extending annular spring can engage and thus hold the locking screw in place.

[0021] The locking screw thus fitted then compresses the seal by exerting a force on the seal by the locking screw in a direction towards the connection side when fitted.

[0022] For this purpose, the seal can be configured as part of the casing, or as part of the locking screw, or as a dedicated component that is positioned between the locking screw and the casing.

[0023] In accordance with the present invention, the seal is compressed during assembly and remains compressed after assembly of the connector, which applies a force to the seal, causing it to radially expand at least in certain areas, thus enhancing the seal's performance.

[0024] The seal, like the casing, can be constructed as an injection-molded covering or preferably consists of rubber.

[0025] If the seal and / or the casing are configured as an injection-molded jacket, it is preferred that the rubber-like injection-molded jacket material can be configured for this purpose structurally so as to be pressed together in a defined manner in areas that are important for creep stability, preferably for tightness between two metallic surfaces.

[0026] It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the seal has a defined profile after compression. For this purpose, the seal itself can have webs and grooves, which are still present after compression. Alternatively, the casing and / or the shield sleeve and / or the locking screw can also have webs and / or grooves in the area of ​​the seal.

[0027] By means of these webs or grooves, it is achieved that after compression the seal has a defined profile and thus prevents the ingress of dirt or moisture more effectively. The defined profile results in different thicknesses of the seal, which result in different forces acting between the casing and the shielding sleeve when the seal is assembled. Due to the different force distribution, dirt or moisture penetrates through the seal more slowly than in the case of a seal with a uniform force distribution.

[0028] In a special embodiment, the connector is provided with an electrical shield in order to protect it from interfering magnetic fields and / or to improve EMC compatibility.

[0029] Furthermore, to extend the life of the seal and the overall connector life, it is proposed to manufacture the seal from a creep resistant material.

[0030] Further features can be seen from the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an assembled connector with locking screws without a sealing ring. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the shield sleeve. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows a shielding sleeve with a casing. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled connector with locking screws and a sealing ring.

[0032] Figure 1 shows an assembled and therefore completed connector 1. This connector 1 comprises a locking screw 1.1, a shielding sleeve 1.2 and a casing 1.3.

[0033] The casing 1.3 is preferably configured as an injection-molded jacket and at least partially surrounds the shielding sleeve 1.2, i.e. the casing 1.3 completely surrounds the shielding sleeve 1.2 but not over the entire length of the connector 1.

[0034] For this purpose, the housing 1.3 is made of plastic and / or is rubber-like in design. In any case, the housing 1.3 is designed to be electrically insulating. The housing 1.3 is arranged in a fixed manner on the shielding sleeve 1.2 and thus cannot rotate relative to it.

[0035] The connector 1 is elongated and has two sides, a connection side and a plug-in side. The connector 1 is designed for coupling to a suitable counter connector, and therefore on the plug-in side there are contacts for forming the plug-in coupling. These contacts may be designed as pins or sockets.

[0036] On the side of the connector 1 opposite the plug-in side there is a connection side for connecting the connector 1 to an electrical line, which can be seen on the right side of the connector 1 in FIG.

[0037] The casing is completed by a locking screw 1.1, which is pushed onto the shielding sleeve 1.2 from the plug-in side when the connector 1 is assembled. For this purpose, means are provided that can hold the locking screw 1.1 in its position. In this respect, in FIG. 1 one can see an annular spring between the locking screw 1.1 and the shielding sleeve 1.2. The annular spring has a conical extension and is arranged in a groove in the shielding sleeve 1.2. The conical extension of the annular spring allows the locking screw 1.1 to be pushed onto the connector 1 and locked onto the connector 1 in its position.

[0038] A locking screw 1.1 is pivotally supported in the shield sleeve 1.2 and in the casing 1.3. When the locking screw is fitted onto the shield sleeve 1.2, it is also partially pushed onto the casing 1.3, so that the locking screw 1.1 and the casing 1.3 at least partially overlap, which can be seen in the circled area in FIG.

[0039] The seal is formed from an area of ​​the casing 1.3 which can also be seen in the circled area in Figure 1. When the locking screw 1.1 is fitted onto the connector 1, the seal is compressed because the fit of the locking screw 1.1 provides the seal with less space than it would occupy in the absence of any force.

[0040] To make compression feasible, the seal is constructed to be resiliently.

[0041] In order to improve the grip of the locking screw 1.1, it is provided with a knurling, which consists of regular grooves and webs. Furthermore, the locking screw 1.1 has means for attachment to a suitable counter-thread. In this respect, FIG. 1 shows an area provided with an external thread (area 1.1), so that the locking screw can engage in a suitable counter-thread with a suitable internal thread and lock the plug-in connection. Of course, the locking screw can also have an internal thread and the counter-thread with an external thread.

[0042] This configuration offers the important advantage that the locking screw 1.1 is vibration-fixed without additional effort in a frictional manner, on the one hand due to the increased loosening torque and, on the other hand, due to the good damping properties of the elastic seal.

[0043] Figure 2 shows the locking screw 1.1 in detail, for which it shows two areas of the locking screw 1.1, namely the thread 1.1.3 and the knurling 1.1.2 for operating the locking screw.

[0044] 2 also discloses the inner profile of the exemplary locking screw 1.1, where one can see a protrusion or groove for the engagement of the annular spring mentioned above during assembly, as well as a running surface 1.1.4 for surrounding the shield sleeve.

[0045] The locking screw 1.1 likewise has an inner peripheral surface 1.1.1, which serves as a running surface in and / or around the sealing area, which may be smooth, as shown, or alternatively with grooves and webs.

[0046] In Fig. 3, an exemplary shielding sleeve 1.2 can be seen. This shielding sleeve 1.2 is arranged in the interior region of the connector. For this purpose, the shielding sleeve 1.2 is annular, i.e. closed in the circumferential direction. The shielding sleeve has a plug-in side (left side in Fig. 3) and a connection side (right side in Fig. 3).

[0047] Via the connection side, lines can be connected to the shielding sleeve 1.2, and via the plug-in side, a plug-in connection can be made with a suitable counter connector.

[0048] The shielding sleeve 1.2 shown in FIG. 3 has an area 1.2.1 which is provided with grooves and webs and is therefore configured unevenly, which results in a defined contour of the compressed seal for improved protection against dirt and moisture when the seal is compressed.

[0049] In part A, in addition to the surface area 1.2.1, at least one protrusion 1.2.1.1 is further disclosed, which on the one hand increases the distance that the infiltrating medium must travel to reach the functionally critical area, and on the other hand causes a correspondingly higher normal force due to a "wedge effect" at the inclined side of the protrusion (when the seal is compressed), which also has a positive effect on the sealing action.

[0050] Part B further shows a flattened section 1.2.1.2 which acts as an anti-rotation feature between the shielding sleeve 1.2 and the casing.

[0051] 4 shows the connector with the casing 1.3, but without the locking screw yet being fitted in. The shielding sleeve 1.2 can again be seen as well as the casing 1.3, which is preferably formed as an injection-molded jacket.

[0052] In this configuration, the casing 1.3 also includes a region 1.3.1 with a convex shape with webs and grooves (illustrated as projection 1.3.1.1), because this region 1.3.1 acts as a seal. The region 1.3.1 is therefore compressed when the locking screw is fitted. For this purpose, the region 1.3.1 is made elastic.

[0053] The number of webs or grooves can be varied depending on the material properties of the casing 1.3 and the desired (operating) torque at the locking screw. Of course, the area 1.3.1 can also be conceived as an area without protrusions. In this case, the casing 1.3 has a cylindrical shape in the area 1.3.1 with a corresponding overdimension relative to the inner peripheral surface 1.1.1.

[0054] Figure 5 once again shows a completed connector 2, but with a different sealing arrangement compared to Figure 1. To this end, the connector still includes a locking screw 2.1, but this locking screw 2.1 has a shortened running surface than in the embodiment of Figure 1.

[0055] Furthermore, Fig. 5 discloses a housing 1.3 corresponding to Fig. 1. This housing can also be designed as an independent component or, preferably, as an injection-molded jacket. The already shown shielding sleeve 1.2 is likewise shown.

[0056] Apart from the compressed area of ​​the casing 1.3 which forms the seal in the drawing, there is now shown the sealing ring 2.2, which is preferably made from a creep-resistant metallic material.

[0057] When the locking screw 2.1 is fitted, the sealing ring 2.2 is now positioned longitudinally on the sealing surface between the locking screw 2.1 and the casing 1.3. The seal is in this embodiment compressed by the inner peripheral surface 2.2.1 of the sealing ring 2.2. The peripheral surface 2.2.1 may be configured smoothly, as shown, or alternatively with grooves and webs.

[0058] This embodiment reduces friction when turning or operating the lock screw 2.1 compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and thus facilitates operation.

[0059] The invention is not limited to the above-mentioned features. Other configurations are also conceivable. Thus, the casing may consist of two different materials, the sealing area of ​​the casing consisting of a different material than the rest of the casing. The locking screw may be configured as a locking nut, the connector may be configured as male or female by the use of contact pins or contact sockets. Finally, the seal may be formed as a partial area of ​​the locking screw. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Connector 1.1 Locking screw 1.1.1 Lock Screw Wall Inner Surface 1.1.2 Knurled section 1.1.3 Thread 1.1.4 Running surface 1.2 Shield sleeve 1.2.1.1 Protrusion 1.2.1.2 Flattened section 1.3 Casing 1.3.1 Sealing Area 1.3.1.1 Webs and grooves 2 Connector 2.1 Lock Screw 2.2 Seal ring 2.2.1 Inner surface of seal ring

Claims

1. A connector (1, 2) comprising a casing (1.3), a lock screw (1, 1, 2.1) and a shielding sleeve (1.2), a connection side for connecting an electrical connection; A plug-in side for forming a plug-in connection. Equipped with the casing (1.3) is arranged at least partially around the shielding sleeve (1.2) in a fixed manner, The connector (1, 2), wherein the lock screw (1.1, 2.1) is at least partially arranged pivotally around the shield sleeve (1.2), the casing (1.3) and the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2) at least partially overlap, In the overlap region, a seal is provided, which is elastically configured and is compressed by the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2), A connector (1, 2), characterized in that the seal is configured as part of the casing (1.3) or as part of the lock screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2).

2. 2. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1, wherein the seal is configured as an annular seal, the seal being positioned between the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2) and the casing (1.3).

3. 3. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing (1.3) and / or the seal are configured as an injection-molded jacket.

4. 4. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1, wherein the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) is configured as a locking nut.

5. A spring is provided in a groove in the casing (1.3) or in the shield sleeve (1.2), 5. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1, wherein the lock screw (1.1, 2.1) is held in position by the spring when assembled to the casing (1.3) or the shield sleeve (1.2), thereby achieving a permanent compression of the seal.

6. 6. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1, wherein the lock screw (1.1, 2.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2) have a peripheral inner surface (1.1.1, 2.2.1) against which the seal contacts in a predetermined area and which compresses the seal.

7. 7. The connector (1, 2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the seal has webs and grooves which provide the seal with a predetermined profile after compression.

8. 8. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1, wherein the casing (1.3) and / or the locking screw (1.1) and / or the sealing ring (2.2) have webs and grooves in the area of ​​the seal to enhance the effect of the seal.

9. 9. The connector (1, 2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connector (1, 2) is provided with an electrical shield.

10. The connector (1, 2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal (1.3) is configured as part of the casing (1.3).

11. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seal is made of a metallic material.

12. 3. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking screw (1.1, 2.1) is provided with a knurled portion (1.1.2) for operating.

13. 3. The connector (1, 2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shielding sleeve (1.2) has at least one flat processing (1.2.1.2), which ensures positional fixation.

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